The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) today announced that it will be closing the Round Top Bridge in Burrillville next week on Wednesday, July 14, 2010. The bridge will remain closed until late summer while it is replaced.
The bridge, built in 1938, carries Route 96 (Callahan School Road) over the Pascoag River in the village of Harrisville. It has deterioration of concrete and reinforcing steel and is considered structurally deficient. The bridge also carries a 5-ton weight limit, causing lengthy detours for trucks in the area.
RIDOT will be using pre-cast concrete components during this project, which will significantly shorten the time that the bridge will be closed. The Department is considering this accelerated construction method for the nearby Shippee Bridge, also in Harrisville, which is under design for replacement.
“Anytime we close a bridge, we understand it can cause delays for motorists,” RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis said. “We hope that with this accelerated method of replacing the Round Top Bridge, we will minimize impacts of this bridge replacement and restore traffic patterns in Harrisville as quickly as possible.”
Detour maps can be found online at: http://www.dot.ri.gov/travelri/detourmaps.asp. The detours with turn-by-turn directions are as follows:
Route 96 South:
Turn right onto Hill Road. Take the third left onto Emerson Road. When Emerson Road ends at Union Avenue, turn left and then left again onto Route 107 (Chapel Street). Turn left onto River Street to return to Route 96 (Callahan School Road).
Route 96 North:
Turn left onto River Street. Turn right Route 107 (Chapel Street). Turn right onto Union Avenue and take an immediate right onto Emerson Road. Turn right onto Hill Road and follow to return to Route 96 and Callahan School Road.
The existing truck detour for Route 98 at the Shippee Bridge will remain in effect. Trucks can follow Route 96 North to Brook Road to return to Route 98. Trucks also will be using the vehicular detour being established for Route 96 and the Round Top Bridge closure.
Motorists with questions can contact RIDOT’s Customer Service office at 401-222-2450 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Additional information will be available on RIDOT’s website (www.dot.ri.gov) and its social media sites on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and Blogger.
Contact: Charles St. Martin 401-222-1362 x4007
